To wonder if I should take this further

I gave up full time work this summer and signed up with two employment agencies, hoping for a better work life balance. Both were keen to have me on their books and assured me of work to come in the near future.

While I got work from one I did not from the other. I rang up a couple of times to politely query matters and was finally told in late October there was a problem with one of my references they could not disclose. It was unsettling, and I was annoyed I had paid £50 to them but decided to chalk it up as a bad experience.

However, I saw the woman who interviewed me on social media and had a look at her profile and noted disparaging comments about me!

Neither, really. Along the lines of “OMG sick of knobheads banging on at me about work”. In fairness, I wasn’t named, I just feel aggrieved with them generally for lying to me and I suppose this is the icing on the cake.

Unfortunately I can’t really “leave” as they have told me they “cannot take my application further” due to this supposed problem with my reference, which is a lie, but it is annoying me more than it should!

I would take it further. It's her job to get people employment so for her to be publicly bitching about those who have the audacity to ask her to do her job is, at best, bloody stupid. She's unlikely to lose her job, but may well get a warning about how to use social media.

Not on for her to post about any client on social media. I would complain and ask them to take you off their books. I wouldn't want to be represented by such an unprofessional company.

Also, you can sign up to the Update service within 14 days of receiving your certificate. It's £13 per year and stays 'live' so new employers can see if it has stayed the same since your last certificate. A good idea if you are going to be temping.

They probably have no work but took the £50 from you anyway. They don't want to admit they have no work so blamed the references instead. A bit silly as you might know your referees well enough to check. What was the £50 for? sounds dodgy (was it for the DBS?)

but but but.... you don't pay money to employment agencies any more...and if there was a problem with your references they would just bloody tell you and not darkly hint.How come you can see her highly unprofessional non-agenty FB page? Have you friended the agent? LOLQuelle cobblers.

I would contact the head honcho and explain that in order to do the best you can in the future you need to know of anything that may block this and your contact was not terribly helpful. Could they personally check your file and offer any advice they have that will help you move forward. If this is true then they will mention the reference, you can genuinely sound perplexed about it. Then you mention that as most companies have a social media policy, you may want to check x persons facebook page as she really doesn't seem awfully happy in her job. After all, if you were in their position, you would not want potential employers to read that sort of thing. Smile whilst speaking, thank them for their help and hang up.